NameCensus.

UK surname

Crowther

An occupational surname referring to someone who plays or makes crowthers, an ancient Celtic stringed instrument.

In the 1881 census there were 8,948 people recorded with the Crowther surname, ranking it #469 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,588, ranked #882, down from #469 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crowther is 11,039 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.2%.

1881 census count

8,948

Ranked #469

Modern count

7,588

2016, ranked #882

Peak year

1911

11,039 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crowther had 8,948 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #469 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,588 in 2016, ranked #882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,039 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Crowther surname distribution map

The map shows where the Crowther surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Crowther surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crowther over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 5,807 #479
1861 historical 5,705 #480
1881 historical 8,948 #469
1891 historical 9,282 #473
1901 historical 10,372 #505
1911 historical 11,039 #442
1997 modern 7,997 #799
1998 modern 8,235 #808
1999 modern 8,331 #804
2000 modern 8,263 #811
2001 modern 8,095 #804
2002 modern 8,159 #816
2003 modern 7,916 #818
2004 modern 7,810 #832
2005 modern 7,668 #838
2006 modern 7,636 #841
2007 modern 7,594 #862
2008 modern 7,606 #866
2009 modern 7,812 #861
2010 modern 7,905 #872
2011 modern 7,847 #862
2012 modern 7,684 #859
2013 modern 7,776 #865
2014 modern 7,791 #870
2015 modern 7,653 #878
2016 modern 7,588 #882

Geography

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Where Crowthers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Manchester and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale and Kirklees. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
3 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
4 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
5 Calderdale 003 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crowther

These lists show first names that appear often with the Crowther surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crowther

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Crowther, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Crowther surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crowther household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crowther is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crowther is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crowther falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Crowther is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Crowther, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Crowther

The surname Crowther is of English origin and is derived from the occupation of a crowder or crouder, which referred to someone who played a crowd or crwth, an ancient stringed instrument similar to a violin. The name is believed to have first emerged in the 13th century in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where it appears as "Crouder". In the 14th century, the name is found in various forms such as "Croudere", "Crouwdere", and "Crowdere".

The Crowther surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Crowther in West Yorkshire, and Crowther's Farm in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing this name in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Crowther throughout history include:

1. John Crowther (c. 1550-1640), an English clergyman and author of several religious works. 2. Ralph Crowther (1603-1670), an English politician who served as a member of parliament for Lancashire during the English Civil War. 3. Amariah Crowther (1768-1836), an English Methodist minister and missionary in Africa, known for his work in Sierra Leone. 4. Jonathan Crowther (1782-1859), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire and Lancashire. 5. Samuel Crowther (1809-1891), a Nigerian Anglican missionary bishop and linguist, known for his pioneering work in the Niger Delta region.

The Crowther surname has been present in various parts of England for centuries and has a rich history rooted in occupational and place name origins. It has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including clergymen, politicians, architects, and missionaries, contributing to the cultural and historical fabric of the nation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crowther families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crowther surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 5,256 Crowthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.08x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 5,256 6.08x
Lancashire 1,832 1.77x
Cheshire 188 0.98x
Middlesex 182 0.21x
Shropshire 156 2.07x
Staffordshire 146 0.50x
Durham 140 0.54x
Worcestershire 113 0.99x
Surrey 108 0.25x
Kent 90 0.30x
Warwickshire 90 0.41x
Northumberland 68 0.52x
Gloucestershire 64 0.37x
Derbyshire 60 0.44x
Lincolnshire 39 0.28x
Sussex 36 0.24x
Hampshire 34 0.19x
Cornwall 29 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 28 0.24x
Norfolk 25 0.19x
Essex 22 0.13x
Devon 21 0.12x
Denbighshire 19 0.58x
Glamorgan 19 0.13x
Radnorshire 18 2.56x
Cumberland 17 0.23x
Monmouthshire 17 0.27x
Herefordshire 16 0.45x
Berkshire 10 0.15x
Leicestershire 10 0.10x
Somerset 10 0.07x
Bedfordshire 9 0.20x
Cardiganshire 9 0.42x
Hertfordshire 8 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.19x
Midlothian 7 0.06x
Wiltshire 7 0.09x
Dorset 5 0.09x
Roxburghshire 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 0.29x
Anglesey 2 0.13x
Ayrshire 2 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.06x
Oxfordshire 2 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.06x
Lanarkshire 1 0.00x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elland Cum Greetland in Yorkshire leads with 206 Crowthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.91x.

Place Total Index
Elland Cum Greetland 206 52.91x
Leeds 199 4.08x
Halifax 176 13.87x
Manchester 162 3.48x
Todmorden Walsden 160 57.71x
Golcar 158 69.14x
Huddersfield 156 12.39x
Spotland 142 12.34x
Northowram 136 22.44x
Oldham 126 3.77x
Gomersal 123 30.49x
Langfield 123 81.34x
Bradford 120 5.74x
Stansfield 118 37.10x
North Bierley 104 22.29x
Ovenden 104 27.04x
Sowerby In Halifax 103 36.45x
Hunslet 97 7.20x
Mirfield 96 20.23x
Morley 95 21.14x
Southowram 91 34.50x
Longwood 87 62.45x
Batley 85 10.35x
Heckmondwike 80 28.78x
Skircoat 79 23.18x
Lockwood 78 25.09x
Pudsey 78 16.88x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 76 34.86x
Newchurch 76 8.98x
Warley 73 29.22x
Bowling 71 8.29x
Dewsbury 71 8.01x
Horton In Bradford 71 5.26x
Liversedge 71 18.45x
Hipperholme Cum 70 18.43x
Gildersome 67 64.49x
Rastrick 66 27.49x
Salford 54 1.77x
Bingley 53 9.63x
Cleckheaton 53 16.65x
Wortley In Bramley 53 7.74x
Hulme 50 2.31x
Sheffield 50 1.82x
Burnley 49 5.62x
Wakefield 49 7.39x
Almondbury 47 11.25x
Aston 42 0.69x
Manningham 42 3.94x
Blackburn 41 1.49x
Cheltenham 41 3.11x
Farnworth 41 6.61x
Holbeck 39 6.81x
Midgley 39 42.35x
Dalton In Huddersfield 38 19.63x
Wardleworth 38 6.43x
Castleton 36 3.48x
Habergham Eaves 36 3.81x
Stainland Cum Old 36 24.34x
Crigglestone 35 42.05x
Drighlington 35 27.80x
Headingley Cum Burley 35 6.29x
Holy Trinity 34 1.64x
Bury 33 2.79x
Ashton Under Lyne 32 1.41x
Dukinfield 32 3.60x
Clayton 31 14.66x
Tong 31 18.57x
Middleton In Oldham 30 9.67x
Pendleton In Salford 30 2.43x
Birmingham 29 0.40x
Cliviger 29 49.76x
Linthwaite 29 15.97x
Great Little Marsden 28 5.91x
Horbury 28 18.52x
Horwich 28 24.81x
Shelf 28 33.92x
Elswick 27 2.61x
Great Grimsby 27 3.05x
Saddleworth 27 4.05x
Wuerdle Wardle 27 8.59x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Crowther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 675
Sarah 413
Elizabeth 314
Ann 197
Hannah 190
Emma 161
Martha 154
Jane 150
Annie 137
Eliza 120
Ellen 120
Alice 115
Emily 91
Harriet 91
Clara 64
Ada 60
Margaret 57
Edith 48
Maria 48
Fanny 39
Betty 38
Florence 38
Louisa 36
Charlotte 35
Anne 34
Caroline 34
Lucy 32
Grace 30
Susannah 29
Susan 27
Isabella 25
Frances 24
Ruth 24
Betsy 22
Catherine 22
Kate 21
Agnes 19
Matilda 19
Rachel 19
Amy 18
Ethel 18
Nancy 18
Rebecca 18
Lydia 16
Amelia 14
Bertha 14
Minnie 14
Elizth. 13
Selina 13
Gertrude 12

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Crowther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 547
William 390
James 308
George 270
Joseph 263
Thomas 223
Samuel 112
Charles 110
Henry 106
Arthur 94
Alfred 85
Robert 67
Albert 65
Edward 65
Walter 65
Harry 57
Herbert 53
Benjamin 52
Fred 51
Frederick 50
Richard 50
Frank 34
Joe 34
Tom 31
David 30
Edwin 30
Sam 30
Ernest 29
Ben 27
Wm. 27
Willie 24
Jonas 22
Jonathan 22
Abraham 19
Isaac 19
Thos. 18
Saville 15
Daniel 13
Geo. 13
Percy 13
Eli 12
Joshua 12
Jno. 11
Timothy 10
Edgar 9
Edmund 9
Francis 9
Philip 9
Fred. 8
Sidney 8

FAQ

Crowther surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crowther surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,948 people were recorded with the Crowther surname. That placed it at #469 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crowther surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,588 in 2016. That gives Crowther a modern rank of #882.

What does the Crowther surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who plays or makes crowthers, an ancient Celtic stringed instrument.

What does the Crowther map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Crowther bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.